For years, Latinos and Latine people have heard about the benefits of therapy. It can offer stress relief, personal growth, and increased emotional well-being. However, within the Latino and Latine communities, the stigma surrounding therapy remains strong.
Phrases like therapy is “para los locos” still dominates conversations, creating a barrier that prevents many from seeking the support they deserve. Yet, therapy can be a powerful tool for one’s bienestar, empowering individuals to navigate life’s challenges and unlock their full potential.
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, April Mayorga, tells Latinidad Collective, “Participating in therapy has many benefits. It is a dedicated space to process emotional and relational experiences.”
Why is therapy beneficial for everyone?
For starters, therapy can help people process difficult emotions. From anxiety and grief to trauma and depression, therapy provides a safe space many can’t find elsewhere. It also allows them to explore and manage challenging emotions healthily under a licensed professional’s guidance.
Mayorga explains, “For many, taking the appropriate steps to initiate therapy can feel vulnerable, and often it can be the first space of support. The process of therapy helps us get out of our automatic behavioral loops and allows us to be more intentional about our connection with the world.”
Therapy can help people strengthen their coping mechanisms. Therapists equip their clients with tools and strategies to assist them in navigating stressful situations, relationships, and life changes most effectively.
“Participating in therapy has many benefits. It is a dedicated space to process emotional and relational experiences.”
April Mayorga, LMFT
People can also foster a greater sense of self-awareness through the therapeutic process. Higher self-awareness can lead to healthier relationships with ourselves and others as it allows us to communicate better.
What happens when you’re able to communicate better? You’re able to express your needs and emotions more deeply.
“An individual who seeks therapy is more likely to enhance their overall health and wellness,” the CEO of Mayorga Psychotherapy Inc. asserts.
What are some things stopping Latinos and Latine people from seeking therapy?
Latinos and Latine people all grew up hearing the whispers of how only the crazies sought therapy because something had to be seriously wrong. This led to wild cultural misconceptions that seeking help from a clinician was for los locos.
But, with more and more people going to therapy, the education of its benefits began to spread — allowing the act of seeking therapy to become less stigmatized.
“In some cultures, it can be viewed as a character flaw to seek therapy. It is associated with shame and failure of the self. Latine families may also not have the language to communicate mental health distress,” Mayorga notes.
She continues, “The Latine community has faced adversity and will believe that their symptoms are normal and just a part of life. There are family systems that do not teach the language of emotion and how to demonstrate feelings appropriately.”
The speaker and mental health advocate adds, “We hear statements like ‘Eso no es para mi,’ [or] ‘That’s not for me.’”
As is the case when seeking help in most medical arenas, language can be an issue. Many Latinos and Latine people might have limited access to bilingual or Spanish-speaking clinicians. For this reason, directories like LatinxTherapy.com are so vital.
This website and resource provides a comprehensive breakdown of therapists by state, insurance coverage, migration status, and language preference, to name a few. Many of the clinicians that can be found on the website also provide telehealth services, something that has gained much traction over the years.
Money is another great deterrent to therapy. According to Forbes, the average session can cost between $100 and $200. For someone living paycheck to paycheck, seeking help to process emotions can take a backseat.
How can therapy benefit Latinos and the Latine community specifically?
Growing up, United States-based Latinos and Latine folks experienced the duality of being too ethnic for some spaces and “too American” for their family in Latin America. Therapy helps people learn coping mechanisms to help manage the expectations and cultural nuances of coinciding in those two realms.
There isn’t a person within the Latino and Latine community who hasn’t grown up affected by immigration-related stress. From translating documents for your parents to crossing the border as a child, the anxieties and challenges associated with immigration can be overwhelming. Also, depending on where you live and dwell, racial discrimination can be part of your life experience.
“Too many individuals believe they need to be in a distressful state of crisis to seek mental health support. Those views are shifting.”
April Mayorga, LMFT
A therapist can help a patient experiencing this find a way to manage the emotional impact moments like that can have on them.
“The journey to healing starts with identifying painful behavioral cycles, then having the courage to change the behaviors that are not helpful. When we can make different decisions, we allow for improvement in relationships and healing,” Mayorga adds.
But what happens to those who grew up in an emotionally unsafe environment? Therapy can help them break unhealthy patterns that have been going on for generations.
The Mexican-American licensed clinician says, “The Latine community prides itself in its resilience and strength. Equally, there is a long history of emotional and physical hardship within the community. I’ve witnessed an incredible amount of personal and generational healing.”
Choosing to seek therapy isn’t a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of strength
Deciding to seek help through therapy takes strength and vulnerability. Willow Counseling notes that fear of being rejected, as well as cultural and family expectations, can often stunt people’s ability to be vulnerable.
Therapy is a commitment to your well-being. It kicks off a journey towards becoming the best version of yourself.
“The pandemic put mental health at the forefront. The mental health crisis was not culture exclusive, and impacted humanity equally and exposed us to the same traumas. This exposed the need for mental health support for many people, including the Latine community,” the mexicana points out.
She concludes, “Too many individuals believe they need to be in a distressful state of crisis to seek mental health support. Those views are shifting. Today, individuals are accessing mental health and integrating their treatment into their wellness routines.”
Talk to your doctor, research resources in your community, and prioritize your mental health. Everyone deserves to thrive, and therapy can open up that path.
